叶凡站在万花楼顶的飞檐下,青灰色的云团正从东边翻涌而来,风卷着梅香掠过他鬓角。苏倾雪的笛声余韵还在喉间萦绕,他望着护城河上那列玄色船队,船帆被风鼓得猎猎作响,“赵”字旗上的金线在暮色里泛着冷光。
“公子。”楼内传来钱老板急促的脚步声,青布长衫下摆还沾着星点泥渍,额角的汗珠顺着皱纹滚进衣领,“孙胖子又动了。小的刚从西市回来,他那几个伙计正挨个儿敲小商贩卖菜的竹筐——说是要‘合作’,实则逼人家签半年包销约,价码压得比本钱还低。”
叶凡转身时,石栏上的茶盏还剩半盏,梅花瓣沉在杯底。他屈指叩了叩栏杆,内天地里的元气如活物般窜入识海,瞬间理清西市十二家菜摊、八家米铺的账本——孙掌柜这招看似狠辣,实则是赵府银钱断供后的慌不择路。
“刘二呢?”他问。
“在楼下备了青驴车,车帘遮得严实。”钱老板搓了搓手,袖中露出半截算筹,“小的知道公子要亲自去,特意让他换了身旧粗布衣裳,看着像走街串巷的货郎。”
叶凡低头整理月白中衣的领口,指腹擦过锁骨处一道极淡的疤痕——前世被暗算时留下的,提醒他任何时候都不能露破绽。等他再抬头,苏倾雪不知何时立在廊角,月白纱衣被风吹得贴在身上,腰间玉牌坠子轻撞出清响:“我跟去。”
“不必。”叶凡伸手替她理了理被风吹乱的鬓发,“你留在楼里,若赵府的人来寻我,便用那曲《寒梅破》。”他顿了顿,“他们要的是我,不是你。”
苏倾雪望着他转身下楼的背影,指尖无意识地摩挲着袖中银针,直到驴车“吱呀”的声响消失在巷口,才对着虚空吹了声短哨——三枚梅花镖破窗而出,隐入云里。
西市的黄昏比别处热闹些。叶凡掀开车帘一角,看见刘二正蹲在茶摊前跟老李划拳,粗布帽子压得低低的,可那把惯常别在腰间的短刀,刀鞘上的红绸还是露了半寸。
他抬脚刚要往菜摊方向走,就听见卖豆腐的王婶儿扯着嗓子喊:“张嫂子,听说叶家米铺进了批陈米?”
张嫂子的竹篮“哐当”掉在地上,豆腐脑泼了半鞋:“可不敢胡说!当年我家小子落水,还是叶老爷派护院捞起来的......”
“嘘——”王婶儿眼神往街角瞟了瞟,那里站着两个穿玄色短打的汉子,腰间挂着孙记的铜牌子,“孙掌柜的人说,叶家要拿咱们当垫背的,等赵府压过来......”
叶凡的脚步顿在原地。内天地里的天道之力自动运转,他听见王婶儿的心跳比平时快了三倍,张嫂子攥着竹篮的手背上青筋直跳——恐惧像瘟疫,顺着菜叶子和米香在市场里蔓延。
“叶公子?”清甜的声音从身后传来。
叶凡转身,见小红抱着半筐青菜,发梢沾着几点水珠,显然刚从河边洗好菜回来。她望着叶凡的眼神亮得像星子,可手指却攥着菜筐边沿,指节发白:“您、您别听他们瞎说!我今早去叶家米铺,周娘子给我的米都是新碾的,还多抓了把红豆......”
“我信你。”叶凡伸手帮她理了理被菜筐压皱的围裙,指尖触到布料上洗得发白的蓝花,“孙掌柜的人最近常来?”
小红咬了咬嘴唇,往街角那两个玄衣人方向瞥了一眼:“他们昨儿来我摊前,说要包下我所有的青菜,价钱包管比叶家给的高......”她突然压低声音,“可他们让我签的契纸上,甲方写的是‘赵’,不是‘孙’。”
叶凡的瞳孔微微收缩。他望着那两个玄衣人转身进了孙记菜摊,门帘掀起时,里面传来瓷器碎裂的声响——孙胖子又在摔茶碗了。
内天地里的元气突然翻涌,他想起钱老板说的“赵府账期延后三个月”,原来赵公子根本没打算真金白银养着孙胖子,不过是拿他当探路的棋子。
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